South Africa

ANC has left Limpopo in a mess, says Rise Mzansi leader

Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi has claimed more than half of Limpopo population will vote in the upcoming elections while they are thirsty, because of the mess created by the ANC.

Zibi called on everyone taking part in this coming elections to vote for his party because Rise Mzansi has a lasting solution to the water shortages in Limpopo and across the country.

ALSO READ: Mathabatha admits Limpopo’s water challenges

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According to Zibi, South Africa needed about R1 trillion to fix the country’s water situation for good. Zibi visited Limpopo this week, where he assessed thwe provision of water to communities hard-hit by drought, especially in far-flung villages.

His main target was the controversial area of Giyani, where government spent nearly R5 billion to build a dam but failed to provide a single drop of water to the thirsty communities of Giyani.

“While we celebrate the false alleviation of rolling blackouts, we are in the middle of yet another crisis of water scarcity,” he said.

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Zibi said the for as long as the ANC government is in power, we face the real possibility of a total collapse of the country’s water infrastructure.

“Go through the streets of our communities, you will find raw sewage flowing through the streets and fresh water gushing out of pipes.

ALSO READ: ‘Sabotage, vandalism’ disrupt Giyani water project

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“This illustrates the mess the ANC has put us in, and the crisis that Rise Mzansi has a plan to fix. Zibi said only 12 of the country’s 133 water service authorities are in a good or excellent state and 40% are in a critical state.

“Because of the mess created by the ANC, it is estimated that it will cost a trillion rands over 10 years to fix our water infrastructure,” he said.

While Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha admitted government failed to provide adequate drinking piped water to the province’s 5.8 million people, Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu believed there was impressive progress taking place in the Giyani bulk water project.

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Mopani district mayor Pule Shayi echoed Mchunu’s sentiments, saying before the end of this financial year, a sizeable number of villages in Giyani will have water through the R1.3 billion reticulation project.

“We are hard at work. Our aim is to turn the waterless Giyani into water land. Water shortages will soon become a thing of the past.

“We are motivated by the hard work and dedication of Minister Mchunu,” said Shayi.

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By Alex Japho Matlala